Love of Sorel
by Cim Trifius
Summary: A tale of two souls and a sword - This is the story of Raphael and Amy Sorel during Soul Calibur III and beyond. What happens when Amy decides to follow her father into the unknown and ends up with his enemies...? Rated T for future content.
1. Plans of the night

**Cim's**** Note:** I do not own any of the characters or weapons used in the following story, nor the universe in which the actions take place. They are all the property of Namco.

Also note, I've been reading through the document several times now and checked it with several spelling-machines, and so I hope the mistakes are very few.

The main idea behind this fanfic was originally to create an alternative version of Raphael's journey in Soul Calibur III, including Amy as a vital part of the quest, as she follows after him and eventually joins another group of adventures. Enjoy!

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He just sat there. Silent, in deep thoughts, sitting uncomfortable in his chair with closed eyes and his right arm supporting his forehead. To be true, he was so far away in his thoughts, some would say he was actually sleeping. And indeed, he was dreaming. Having a nightmare about the knight...

_Raphael stepped aside again, avoiding the slashing blade from the Azure colored being before him, and twirled his rapier, Flambert, a couple of times before making his own attempt. A stab from his sharp blade, that was brutally blocked by his opponent retrieving the large, red blade that he wielded. Swinging the blade towards Rahael once more, forcing him to jump and back away from the insane and wild attacks that __know fell quickly and harshly on him, the Azure Knight in front of him send out a silent, hoarse giggle. The cruel and bloodshot eyes inside the large helmet stared at the Frenchman, as the red blade carved through the air and hit it's target with success, leaving a wound in Raphael's right arm. Luckily not his sword-arm. But Raphael was too focused on getting his hands on the very sword he was avoiding and blocking, to even care about his own blood being spilt as he moved and failed his attacks. But in a corner of his mind, he knew what was waiting. He had received far too many wounds, lost too much of his blood. And in some way, he felt different. The more wounds he received, the angrier and determined to get the sword he became._

_The Azure Knight send his sword clashing against Flambert's thin blade, nearly tumbling the physical weakened Raphael backwards to a position that could prove lethal for him. But he quickly regained some of his balance, rising to a kneeling position and attacking the Knight. But he failed again,__ this time not able to retrieve his blade to block the vertical slash of the red blade. He felt ... dizzy, alone and somewhat cold. His firm grip around Flambert's handle loosened, as the weight of his body became too much and he fell foward, his face hitting the ground and his mind slipping away into unconsciousness. He fought hard not to close his eyes, as his opponent talked to him in a loud, ecstatic voice that made the walls around them tremble:_

"_Now, offer your soul to me..."_

_The terrible sound of a sharp blade getting raised for one last time – a preparation to deal the final blow - reached Raphael's ears and he looked up. The Azure Knight before him raised his arms toward the sky and let evil energy run through him. This was it. His end, his final breath. The end for..._

"_Amy..."_

_Raphael spoke the name of the person that meant everything to him. Nothing else in this world was as dear to him as Amy. What would happen to her, if he did not return? Would it be her end too? No... no, not that..._

_Warm emotions overwhelmed the cool Frenchman, at the very thought of his beloved child, but they quickly turned into emotions of fear and sadness, as the thought of her being left alone in this terrible world again, clouded his warm memories of her. All alone, no-one to look after her._

_Raphael's body trembled, and small tears of grief of letting his foster daughter down ran down his cheeks, washing the coagulated drops of blood off them._

_The tears continued their silent flow, and time seemed to freeze, as Raphael awaited the blow that would remove him from his world, let Amy alone once more. This time, he would not return._

"_A..." Raphael's voice trembled as unusual emotions pierced his normally cold heart. "Amy..."_

_Without his own knowledge, Raphael's left hand reached out for Flambert's handle as he turned his eyes from the man before him to the ground. His left hand grabbed the rapier's handle firmly once more, as the Azure Knight send the sharp red blade towards him, and his head was filled with a scream he had never heard before. The scream of a young girl, left alone in this world twice..._

"AMY!" Raphael shouted as he opened his eyes.

He looked around, his right hand still pressing against the nearly invisible scar on his chest through his soaked shirt. He was in the castle ruin. Their home. He sighed, his heart still beating quickly and his thoughts concentrating on the nightmare he'd just escaped. It always ended like that. The only time he'd escaped the very scene he'd just visited, was the time when he had been fighting the Azure Knight for real. He had managed to dodge the attacks of Soul Edge's weilder and strike the demonic sword's eye with his own faithful blade. But the battle had cost him dearly. No, it had cost them dearly - as Amy, too, had suffered. And all because of his failure during the battle.

Raphael's hand ran through his short hair as he thought back at his return to the old mansion, where Amy had saved him from death once more. But they'd both been cursed by evil.

Raphael looked at his left hand and shut it slowly as his eyes turned to the documents on his table. He had been working all night, despite the hunger created by the evil that had infected his very being. Usually, he would've been outside now, hunting souls to feed upon and slake his hunger. But not currently. For three long days and nights, he had been working for a solution in Amy's best interest. Searching for a reason and, more importantly, an answer, a way to brighten up her future. There was no apparent cure for them, nor their victims.

Their victims...?

Raphael smiled slightly, scratched the three-day-old beard on his chin, and gave the idea behind their victims more thought - Now, if all of god's children on earth were to be infected by the same evil as they were, then there would be no difference, and no danger to Amy. The first bricks of the puzzle was already in play, as Raphael had already spread the evil to a large part of the land surrounding the ruins they now regarded as their home. Soon, he would march further into the nearby town and slowly... very slowly, everyone would be turned into the same cursed being. No one would be different. Raphael's smile widened even more as he rose from the chair and went out of the room to check on Amy.

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So, let's see what you all thought about this chapter – The next one is coming up soon!


	2. Reminiscence

**Cim's**** Note:** I do not own any of the characters or weapons used in the following story, nor the universe in which the actions take place. They are all the property of Namco.

And before second chapter starts, I'll like to thank deadly dancer for the positive review of my first chapter – yay, my first review ever! I hope you like next chapter too...

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The sun was setting. It's last bright beams lit up the trees of the forest down below the castle ruin, and made it look like it was on fire. Looking at the sight, standing partly covered by a long, wine-red and grievously frayed curtain, was a young girl dressed in a violet dress. Her right hand was only inches from touching the glass of the seven feet tall, medieval window, that was usually covered by the very same curtain, that she now hid behind.

She loved the sun, loved the warmth it created. She had always loved the sun, yet, the being she had become - the evil blood that ran through her veins - hated it. Hated it like a plague.

She was struggling both mentally and physically to push the curtain aside and let the sun embrace her cold body. To feel the dying suns last heat inside her. A heat that could warm up her heart. Things that had appeared so common to her before, was things she now avoided due to the cursed blood. She wanted to do those things again. Wanted to feel the inappropriate feelings that was buried deep within the emotional prison of her heart.

As she stood there, she was suddenly struck by a uneasy feeling of loneliness. She felt so alone and cold. She had finally gained the strength and courage she needed, and pushed the curtain lightly aside, pressing her fingertips against the window's smooth surface. The sun was nearly gone now. Soon the night would take over. Soon he would leave, return again later to say "Hi", check on her and try to live up to his self-appointed duty as her foster farther. She leaned her forehead against the window. She was not a being of night. She didn't want the sun to go away, even if it's light made her tired and weak. That's why the large curtain usually

covered the window and her sight to life beyond the castle-walls.

As the light of the sun disappeared, Amy feel to her knees, settling her hands in her lap and cried silent, unemotional tears. Tears that was a product of the struggle between her mind and the evil inside her. She had won, yet also lost, as neither side of her could be victorious for real. She looked down at her hands and wondered what he was doing. Her question was quickly answered by the sudden sound of footsteps from downstairs. He was, quite unusually, coming to check on her before he left the castle to feed on the outside world.

Amy rose quickly and moved the curtain in front of the window, covering the room in the usual darkness. She turned around just in time to watch as the old door silently swung up and a tall man walked into the room. He was wearing a light, white shirt that – together with his blonde hair and slightly yellow eyes – made him appear more pale than usual, standing there in the darkened room. His normally neat coiffure was tousled and he was sweating and breathing heavily. Apparently, he had been in a hurry to get there.

"Amy," He said and walked towards the silent girl. "How are you, dear?"

For some reason, Amy did not answer him, which was apparently the reaction Raphael expected from her. He continued his walk until she was within reach for him to caress her right shoulder, and she could see the warm smile on his lips. She hugged him, but the stains of evil in her soul made it appear unemotional and fake; a thing that apparently didn't bother her foster farther, as long as she created the illusion of family-ties. Maybe he thought it would somehow help them get better. Amy had her doubts in that regard.

"I've found a solution," Raphael said and turned his back at Amy as he walked towards the fireplace in the room. " A plan which will make everything good again..."

He looked back at the silent girl, as he briefly defied the evil inside him and gave her another warm smile. A smile from the past, created by the man that deep down loved the young girl standing before the curtain. Now, his love had never ceased to exist – she knew that much - but it, too, had suffered greatly from their shared curse. The love he felt toward her had increased, but had taken a turn in the wrong direction; He had turned inwards, become obsessed with protecting her, and thus robbed them of several wonderful hours together. Hours similar to those they've had back in France, just before he had started his search for the cursed sword and left her alone in the large Mansion. The feeling of being a family was gone, so was the true and deep father-daughter feelings they had grown during the most happy part of Amy's childhood.

"You've been looking outside," Raphael stated, making Amy's usually calm eyes wide up slightly, as her right hand reached down behind her and took a firm hold on the curtain. "...Haven't you?"

He raised his face slightly and regarded her with such a penetrating glare, she would rather have knifes cut through her skin and soul. He knew what was going on in her mind, he just always knew...

No answer. She preferred the unsaid truth and looked past him into the fireplace. Then she turned her head down, defeated. Before her, Raphael shook his head and looked just as miserable as she felt herself. He knew she had been peeking at the world outside. A world she would never be able to be a part of – was it so hard for him to understand what she really wanted?

"Amy..." calling out her name to get her attention, she felt how Raphael approached her, until he stood right in front of her again. "You know I am just concerned... Look at me –" placing his left index-finger under her chin, he forced her head upward, so that she was looking at him again "- I am your father. And a father protects his daughter no matter what happens. And soon, Amy... I promise you, so very soon, we won't have to run anymore."

Raphael removed his index-finger from below her chin, now certain she would keep her eyes directed toward him, and turned around as he gestured at the room.

"The world will be like us! Imagine it, Amy..." He turned toward her again, and smiled. Was that... insanity, she saw in his amber eyes? It was the same, frightening glimpse she had seen in his eyes the past months – always appearing in his eyes when he speculated about their future or when he proudly presented her with some new knowledge regarding their curse. Amy, who had no wish of letting Raphael know about her worries, remained motionless before him, as she felt her insides shiver. She was fearing the uncertain thing that was happening to the man she loved and adored. Too, she had a feeling he could see past her mask and read her emotions, as he always did...

To Amy's great surprise, Raphael suddenly reached out and caressed her cheek with the back of his right hand. A gesture she did not dare nor wish to escape from; True, he was by far not himself, but deep down he meant it well to her. And so, the thought itself was great – the act, however, was slightly twisted.

His hand was as a brick of cold, cold ice. It burned into her skin, and left her with the feeling that the touch would leave a mark, as soon as he removed his hand. The movement of his hand was clumsy and rash, without the affection he usually expressed toward her, and the force behind his hand almost pushed her away from him. It was as though the last bit of humanity had left him completely, in exchange for a more monstrous being without control of his soft movements.

But then Raphael smiled at her – his common, confident smile – and looked as though he was himself entirely, unhurt by his last travel and at peace with himself. For a short while she spotted a small glimpse of the 'real' Raphael, and it was as though his whole being was more friendly than usual. Just for a short moment, he looked so much like the man she knew and cared for - and in return, this brought the memory of his last departure to her mind and filled her with a the same mix of despair and fear she had felt back then...

~~ _Flashback_ ~~

_The sound of pitiful sobs coming from the girl would see no end. Her black dress, long sleeves and a somewhat tall collar, made her melt into the unlit library's background of book-shelves, as she sat on her father's desk. Her head down in painful despair. Her red cheeks were wet with tears, as an almost endless stream poured down them._

_She would not believe it! She simply wouldn't believe the lie! I had to be... a lie...!_

_Shutting her hands into small fists, grasping a corner of her dark dress in the process, she tried to restrain herself, but in vain. The tears would not stop falling, now, that she realized and accepted the truth; Raphael, her foster father and protector throughout the past years, was leaving the mansion to search for something. Something he hadn't even told her about. And he was leaving her, too – leaving her behind with the oh-so-lovely servants of his._

_"Amy..?"_

_The girl raised her head and gasped, as the light of a candle lit up the man who had entered the room. Blonde hair, strong, determined eyes and the clothes of a noble; Of course it was him, Raphael Sorel. As he stood there before her in the dim light from the candle, it was hard for her to read his face's expression. Instead, the calm tone in his voice revealed the purpose of his visit;_

_"Are you crying?" He sat down beside her, put down the candle at his side and put his left arm around her. "Why are you crying, Amy?"_

_What a stupid question! He knew perfectly well why she was crying! He had to know that... right? He was her father now... they had been a family for so long, and now he would just leave it all behind like that. How could he – how could he even **think** of it? How could he leave without at least giving her a proper reason to do so?_

_Fresh tears came to her eyes, as she shook her head and turned her eyes away from him. She didn't want him to see her cry, didn't want him to stare disturbed at her with his calm eyes._

_"You know I have to leave... don't you?" Raphael turned his head and looked down at the eleven-year old girl beside him, squeezing her shoulder gently in an attempt to get her attention. "You know I'm doing this for your sake... it's for the best..."_

_She could hear he was having a hard time picking the right words. Too, she could feel the sharp edge in his last remark. Raphael was a lovely man. He cared greatly about her, he respected his servants and was very much the father she had dreamt of in the past. But he, too, had his flaws, as any other human being. And these days, his direct and impatient mind was showing itself once too often for the quiet girl to bear._

_The last thing she wanted before the inevitable goodbye, was a roar with the man she loved the most in this world..._

_Amy nodded, silenced and defeated by his words._

_"And I'll be back, you know that!" Rapahael continued his reassurance and rose from the desk. Then he moved a few steps away from her and into the shadows of the library, almost disappearing from her view. "I've asked Mrs. Ladre and Mr. Mondreu to take good care of you in my absence..." He turned around inside the shadows and regarded her with a small, satisfied smile. "You'll have many loyal persons around you, once I'm gone –"_

_At the word 'gone', the last remains of Amy's dignity had crumbled, causing the girl to leap from the desk and run to embrace her foster father. It took only few seconds for the shocked Frenchman to regain his composure and he quickly reacted and returned the embrace._

_Amy was crying helplessly now, as a sharp contrast to her father, who did not even think of shedding a tear in the rather emotional moment between them._

_But inside he felt bad for leaving her behind, just like he had planned for weeks – a young girl like Amy was not fit to travel with him into the unknown. Dangers lied ahead, grave dangers. But as long as he travelled alone, he would make it. He couldn't run around and take care of her like he did in the mansion. After all, he was going away for her sake – on a search for a legendary weapon, which would endanger their world, should it fall into the wrong hands._

_"You will see," Raphael continued and ran a gloved hand through her long, red hair. To his great surprise, she had not tied it up as she usually did, but had left it loose. Apparently a sign that something was indeed wrong in her world. "When I come back, you'll not even notice me – you'll be too busy, being the house-master. How does that sound to you?"_

_The though did not comfort the girl in his arms, though._

_It was not like Amy did not like the servants in the mansion. Both Mrs. Ladre, the butler Mr. Mondreu and the cook Chatarina were nice to her, and clearly liked the young miss of the house. To them, she was a precious part of the mansion itself, a person to watch and help through life. But Amy did not trust them – she had told her father multiple times, but in vain._

_Adults, as well as boys and girls about her own age, had let her down countless times during her life as an orphan. Why trust what was better left in distrust? Why believe in the good of others, when the others had deceived her, abused her kindness and stolen of her personal supplies?_

_Except for one man, the one who had taken her away from the street and placed her into safe surroundings in this mansion. The very same man who was leaving her together with persons she did not fully trust, while he went out to search for a device of some kind. She did not understand._

_But accept his choice, she did..._

The memory brought another tear to Amy's eye. In a remarkable display of aggression, the young girl quickly waved the tear away with her right hand. In the very same instant, she noted how the man before her no longer looked like the old Raphael. The noble Frenchman revealed none of his thoughts and made no remark regarding her recent behaviour. Instead, he smiled almost sad at her, shook his head and turned around. As the door shut tightly behind him, Amy sat down on her bed and stared out into the dark room.

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Second chapter ends here!

Author's Thoughts: The most interesting thing about this chapter, is the amount of time it took for me to make it work in a way I felt was 'proper' – the flashback at the end was not a part of the original Second Chapter, but was added, re-written, re-written again and finally edited together with the rest of the chapter. The transition from present to flashback was the hardest part, really, and I hope that you are satisfied with it too.


	3. Raphael's Feast

**Cim's Note:** Raphael, Amy, Flambert and the fictional world they live in are the all property of Namco. I, however, am the creator of the characters Eugen, Ionela, Aledrei and Bogna Claudiu of the [fictional] town Otrapisc, appearing in this chapter only. Too, a group of other, fictive people living in the same city is also my creation. Enjoy!

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Eugen Claudiu - among friends called by the nickname 'Claud' - stood inside the humble kitchen of his inn _The Ugly Goat_ in deep thoughts; a dirty cup in one hand, his usual cloth in the other, as he was preparing the cups and plates for tonight's customers. However, he remained motionless until his wife, Ionela, entered the kitchen and put down a group of empty plates at a free space to his right.

The elder man looked at his wife and smiled absent-minded at her; they had both been walking around in deep thoughts lately and she, as well as him, appeared to have grown at least ten years older during the last couple of weeks, ever since Aledrei, their youngest child, had disappeared under mystical circumstances.

Looking at her, he noted just how much she had aged; her normally blonde hair was more grey than ever and despite her age of 44 she looked both skinny and weak. Only her eyes burned with the usual blue flame of youth and assured him that she had not given up on life completely. It was by far one of the features he had always adored about her.

Besides, they still had Bogna. Eugen smiled by the thought of his oldest girl, who had just reached the age of 22. Beautiful in a way far unlike the rest of the Otrapisc's young girls, Bogna had also recently accepted the hand of the oldest son of the Grevun's – their marriage was closing in now, and both Eugen and Ionela felt the rare excitement parents feel on such occasions. It had helped them through a difficult period following Aledrei's disapperance, and although the emotional wounds still marked their souls, they were both too busy with other things to get carried away by them. A thing they secretly hoped would continue for a long time...

On the first floor - the floor where all the members of the Claudiu family had their rooms - Bogna was sitting on the bed in her room. From there, she had a great view of the dark street below, as she pushed the curtains aside and looked out of the large window. Down there, a group of children were playing with a cat while being watched over by a old lady. Soon, she waved them inside and the street was left empty and silent. Only the wind roamed down there, played with a few loose leafs from the threes and the dirt of the street. Now as the street was completely empty of humans, the movements of nature was so much more apparent and interesting.

Bogna moved closer to the window, and let the wonder of the sight take control of her mind. She relaxed, leaned her chin against the cold window and let her thoughts depart into sweet daydreams. Saree Grevun had finally found the courage to ask her father for her hand. Her dear father had accepted, of course, as most of Otrapisc's inhabitants knew how much the young man cared for Bogna. That the Grevun family was fairly wealthy meant nothing but the pleasant bonus of securing their daughters future. Bogna, too, loved Saree; they had known each other from early childhood, always stuck together and now their long relationship had turned into the happy joy of engagement and soon... marriage, and a family of their own. People were lying if they said the young couple were not happy with the situation.

She could hardly wait for the day to arrive. She turned her head slightly to her right and looked at her dress. Her wedding dress. It was the finest dress she had ever set her eyes on, so smooth and simple, gentle and pure – she had already worn it several times, when she was alone, danced around her room and wished Saree was there with her. She looked down at the street and watched with inner joy as a tall, cloaked figure approached the inn; it had been some rather silent nights in _The Ugly Goat _and the money had been as rare as the customers. Not many people dared to go outside at night... they feared the stories to be true. Several people, her brother among them, had disappeared under mystical circumstances lately. Some had returned, but not as the persons they once were. Rumours said the returned people were pale as death itself, did not eat and felt no joy of seeing their family and friends again.

But apparently, this traveller did not know of the rumours centring around the city of Otrapisc.

Bogna turned around, setting her green eyes on the dress once more. In an instant, she forgot everything about the traveller in the street, her disappeared brother and the strange rumours, as she went to put on her dress again...

Eugen rushed out of the kitchen when he heard footsteps at the entrance of the inn. He knew it was some sort of customer – hopefully it was an exhausted traveller who sought both a hot meal and shelter for the night. If Eugen's luck was really good, the person would be wealthy enough to drink several times during his meal. The more money he spent, the more money Eugen made. The innkeeper turned on a sympathetic smile as the stranger went directly to the counter and stopped, resting both arms on the wooden surface.

"Good evening!" Eugen greeted and nodded slightly in the traveller's direction. "How may we be of service to you? Need a room for the night? Or maybe a strengthening, hot drink and a satisfying meal for your empty stomach! Or maybe you'd like just to enjoy the warmth of our fireplace?" The innkeeper gestured toward the eastern wall, where a large, neatly ornamented fireplace was. A great fire burned inside it, it's red flames reaching tall and wide and sharing it's heat with anyone who got close enough.

The stranger did not follow Eugen's gesture toward the fireplace and remained silent. His great cloak – made for the clear purpose of travelling – almost entirely covered his person and only revealed a tall set of boots. Very neat boots for such an ordinary traveller. But what made the silent situation between them direct uncomfortable to Eugen, was the cover of the stranger's hood. The shadow of it was so deep, it appeared as though the man before him had no face at all, even when he raised his head slightly.

A hollow laughter left the stranger's invisible lips, and the figure made an movement with his hand that clearly revealed restrained amusement. The gesture pushed the cloak aside and revealed more of his clothing; very fine, but more suitable for someone important and wealthy, and completely different from the innkeepers first impression of him. Finally, he pushed the hood aside, and revealed his blonde hair, slightly yellow eyes and pale skin. "You can bring me the best drink the house can offer in the most secluded part of you inn... Mr. Claudiu, is it?"

The stranger turned away and steered directly toward a table in the back of the room, far away from the counter and far away from the fireplace. The table he had picked as his current residence was under the dim light of a bad lamp, which apparently didn't bother the stranger. In fact, he sat down, leaned back in the chair and let go of his cloak even further, almost allowing it to fall onto the floor. As far as Eugen could see, he remained in the same position even when the flame in the lamp went out completely and covered his satisfied face in darkness.

Eugen was slightly upset; this man was strange both in appearance and behaviour. But he had asked for the best possible, and Eugen would see to that he got the best the house had to offer. The innkeeper turned his head and spotted Ionela at the entrance of the kitchen. Apparently, the hollow laughter of the traveller had caught her attention and she had seen everything that had transpired. Eugen reached out for the house's speciality, a tall bottle of dark-red glass with a black cork, and a small glass under the counter. Then he nodded briefly at his wife and walked toward the table.

"There you go, good sir," he said as he finally placed the cup on the table before the traveller and lit the lamp with a small, burning stick. He left the table and threw the remains of the burning stick into the fireplace and went back again, only to discover that the stranger had already poured the content of the bottle into his glass. The stranger lifted his glass before him, in a gesture that appeared both witty and daring. The arrogant smile on his lips further increased the innkeeper's feeling that the guest was mocking him.

"Many days have I felt thirst," the man said and looked through the brown liquid in his glass with a serious expression in his eyes. "But for now, it'll be satisfied – here, under your roof, my feast begins." He drank and emptied his glass, then gave a slight nod toward the innkeeper. "You'll know eventually," he said and put the glass down on the table. Whether or not this was a direct instruction for him to leave, was a mystery to Eugen – but in the end, he decided to leave the man alone, and turned away from his table.

Ionela smiled at him from behind the counter and pointed at a group of four people who had just entered the inn. With her lips, she formed the words: "We've got more customers! Charli Conkrecs and his sons."

She raised her voice and went to the other end of the counter, greeting the newly arrived persons one by one. "Good evening, Charli, Petesc, Geury and Barl! How can we serve you tonight?"

"Aye, Ionela," Charli said and scratched his large, black beard and raised his hand in a friendly gesture. "Four of the best to me sons and I – Ter'day was a bright day for fishermen like us,

'eren't it lads?" His voice turned into a loud laughter, the tone and volume more fitting for a bear than a man. His three sons nodded and chuckled their replies and winked at Ionela, who quickly delivered their order.

"I'm glad to hear that," Eugen said as he passed by the group and joined his wife. For just a moment, he put his arm around her shoulder and caressed it slightly, smiling at Charli with all of his teeth. "Then you might be delivering some fishes to us before long, huh?"

Ionela twisted out of his grasp, squeezed his hand and went out into the kitchen again.

"Yer still got the best of them lasses, Eugen," Charli stated and emptied his cup of beer

with a second sip. "Always the lucky one of us... How's business nowadays?" Charli handled his cup to Eugen and gestured for him to fill it again. He lowered his voice to a whisper when he continued. "How's Ionela holding up? Any news about..."

Charli's voice died out and he lowered his gaze from Eugen to the cup, and followed it with his eyes as the innkeeper took it to pour beer into it again. The events revolving around the disappearance of the persons had shocked everyone in the town of Otrapisc, even the strong and brave fisherman. To Charli, Eugen and Ionela's loss of Aledrei had been a large hit in the face and a cause of great sadness – like it had been to any other friend of the Claudiu family.

Eugen appreciated his old friend's concern, but had a hard time being honest even to a man this close:

"She's..." the innkeeper paused and got eye-contact with Charli. The expression on his face said it all, but he had to finish what he had already begun. "She's fine... everything... it's just such a big mess. But we can handle it. I can handle it. And no, there's been no news regarding Aledrei for the past week..."

Eugen straightened up and narrowed his eyes, removing his gaze from Charli to focus on something behind the large fisherman. The strange reaction of the innkeeper made the gathering curious enough to follow his eyes and stare into the farthest corner of the room; An empty table with a lit lamp standing beside a short glass. The only chair close to said table was neatly placed like no person had ever touched it.

"Where did he go?" Eugen asked and rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

* * *

On the first floor, Bogna was busy daydreaming herself into a beautiful slumber on the bed, fully dressed in her wedding dress. For such is the beauty of lovers; they long for the other part - the claimer of their heart - to appear before them at all times, hold them tight and be as one with them. Flowers... vast fields of green grass crowned by Saree, her love, standing firm and tall in the middle of everything, as her shield and protector, her guidance through the cold night... that was her daydream.

It was more than clear from the young woman's face that she was dreaming. Observers would've watched her in delight, lying on her bed, dressed as the most royal of princesses, resting her mind and eyes in a fairytale far away from pain, worries and dark strangers in the night. The same observers would've been struck with terror once they realized something was completely wrong, and noticed the shadow enter her room.

Without any noise the door was pushed open. Silent as the wind, someone entered the room and stopped only few inches from the girl's bed. Nothing in the man's face revealed his intentions, nor the thoughts that ran through his mind or the emotions pumping through his veins.

Had the girl on the bed woken up in this very moment, she would've screamed in natural fear of the unknown. She would not recognize the handsome features of the man, the blonde locks and yellow eyes, his fine clothing... To her, he would be an enigma as he had been to all of his recent... acquaintances of the city.

Raphael did not smile even now, at the brink of victory. Feed he would, laugh in pleasure and desire, too – but not before it was necessary. It was part of the act, to scare his victims, damn and threaten them into a mental breakdown. Tears would fall – they always did – and eventually they all became his treat of the night; he claimed their soul as a robber claimed the money and jewellery of his victims. The excitement was unbearable; it filled his body, drove him slightly insane in the heat of the moment, and before he knew of it, he obeyed his desire to act -

* * *

The sudden, harsh sound of a door getting slammed, tore her out of her dreamy world. A crack ran across the green field, as the earth swallowed the little animals and flowers, and she realized she had lost track of Saree... She sat up in her bed, looked at her room through her tired eyes and adjusted her wedding dress with both hands. Then she spotted the reason behind the harsh sound and made visible preparations for a loud scream; this desperate cry for help was halted, however, by a thick glove pushed against her mouth and the cold steel of a blade rubbing against her soft neck. But her panic had only just begun. The sight of a unknown, tall man in her room had upset her and alarmed her inner defences. That the man had been standing just beside her bed, and thus been able to end whatever shout for help she would come up with, greatly increased the fear in her heart.

She had heard about things like this before; Men breaking into young women's rooms to spent the night with them against their will. Cases like that was rare in Otrapisc, but they did happen now and then, and Bogna had often heard the other young women tease each other with frightening stories like those. Details were sparse – after all, many of the young people of Otrapisc were yet to spent a night with the opposing gender – and often they sounded so horrible and fantastic, Bogna couldn't believe the truth of them.

But the fear was there, deep down in her mind, and that was the real drive behind her next action; she fought against her attacker. Panic and fear can often strengthen people beyond their own limit, and this is what Bogna experienced in that very moment. Twisting and turning in the man's grasp, pushing and scratching the best she had learned, she fought for her life and safety, and prayed for a miracle to safe her.

But the man she faced was far from normal. She soon realized even her best efforts to get free were in vain, and slowly, a part of her mind prepared for what she thought was coming next. In a way, she gave up the purpose of fighting in favour for the tiny chance she would faint, as long as she did not experience the thing she feared so much. As she made her final strike against the man, she felt the tears pressing on, as an image of how hopeless the situation was.

* * *

To Raphael's surprise, the young woman did not attempt another scream once they began their bizarre battle. Her will and strength was remarkable, yes, but certainly not bigger than his own resolve and pride. He saw it in her eyes, dwelt at those beautiful, brown eyes filled with fear and horror, and felt delighted and more keen on claiming her soul than before. Her power would faint, he would strip her of her remaining energy and leave her wrecked and lost. That was his due, his plan and purpose there: To feed on her soul and mind.

"Stop resisting," he said, his voice cold and void of all emotions. He finally managed to get a firm hold around her slender form, dug his gloved fingers into her smooth dress as were they sharp claws against flesh, and forced her closer to him. This marked his victory, his dominance over her, and he knew the time had come. His lips twisted into a diabolic smile, his eyes shone insanely and his body radiated an overwhelming confidence in himself and his achievements. This, the foreplay of the actual devouring of her soul, was a true joy to the corrupted Sorel-member. A joy he expressed when he burst into a hallow laughter, this one even more dreadful than the one he had delivered in the halls below. The effect of the laughter was great; tears fell on the young woman's cheeks, as she silently expressed her failure and fear.

"Your tears are not in vain," Raphael stated shortly and pulled her head backwards with a firm grip in her long, brown hair. She squealed in pain, tossed her head from right to left, as he leaned in close to her, rubbed himself against her body and whispered in her left ear: "You have a beautiful soul, not tainted by dark deeds and ill thoughts," he paused and smelled her, felt how she reacted to him being this close. "I would have no other..."

* * *

Bogna cried in silence. Tears went down her cheeks rapidly, her heart was about to break, and yet she kept quiet for reasons unknown to herself. It was like her tongue had withered and died, rendering her unable to scream or express herself in a way which would save her. The situation was turning absurd; it was almost as though he deliberately kept her waiting for the inhuman act she was expecting, as though he enjoyed tormenting her mind. If that was his goal, he was close at succeeding. Bogna almost didn't care what happened from this point on; as long as it stopped soon, or else she would surely give up life right there in his arms.

Then suddenly she thought the man had finally decided; his hold on her slacked greatly, he almost stepped away from her. She braced herself for what was coming, assured herself it was better to obey and suffer for a short while than struggle and suffer for too long.

But it turned out she wasn't as lucky; he merely twisted around her, moved behind her instead and resumed his firm hold around her waist with one hand. The other, however, reached for her neck and caressed it gently. Then the pain set in; an aching pain moving from her toes, all up through her legs and into her stomach, chest, arms and head – a burning pain, so brutal it overwhelmed her. It felt as though her body was on fire; she even tried to free her neck long enough for her to see if her body was in flames, but the force of the man's hand was supreme. All she could do, was feel the pain in her body, the man behind her and his firm hands, and her own tears on her cheeks. It was hell, she wanted to scream and beg for mercy... scream... oh my god... scream...!

And finally luck changed in her favour; her voice returned in full strength, granted her the ability to call for aid in the distressing situation; she screamed. Screamed until it felt as though her lungs would burst, screamed until the man almost choked her with his hand and she only felt pain once again. But she would not give in this time... never... ever...

Bogna struck the man with her elbows, tried the best she could to escape his hands for just a moment, so that she could resume her loud cries in the night. Soon, her scream filled the room again, this time louder than before, and loud enough to wake up the nearest houses in the city. In her heart, she knew she had prevailed – she had not given up... she had not... given...

* * *

"It was a vampire! No doubt 'bout that..."

"But what are we going to do, about it? I mean, surely we cannot allow that thing to walk around and -"

"Quiet! Everyone... I can hear 'Claud' on the stairs!"

And as usual, the fisher was right in his assumption; it was Eugen who appeared before them after descending the stairs to the first floor. He kept a straight face, but to the gathering of men in the main hall of _The Ugly Goat_, this was only a minor detail. They couldn't care less if the man they respected so greatly broke into tears before them all. The peril of the Claudiu-family would have no end, apparently, as it had proven by the terrible events that had transpired in Bogna's room. They all knew how he felt. None of them would blame him for it... even if only one among them knew the situation of the room upstairs.

Bogna was not dead; that much was clear to everyone that had gathered in the inn. But that was not necessarily a good thing in itself; Rumours about the girl's attacker, a man who had fled through her window and – as the rumours stated - transformed into a bat and disappeared into the dark night. People already speculated what sort of inhuman beast the man had been; a vampire or a dark wizard... something like that. Among those who had seen the incident on the roof of _The Ugly Goat_ was Charli Conkrecs and three sons. Also, Charli was among those who strongly supported the idea that the man had transformed into a black, bloodsucking bat with hypnotic abilities...

What none of the persons knew, however, was that they had let themselves get tricked by another mysterious art; the art of brewing potions and medicine. Because, in fact, Raphael had planned and staged his own escape through the use of a newly invented smoke-creating potion he had brought along for the occasion. In his state of intoxication and boldness, he had shouted at the gathering on the street below, challenged all the brave men of the city to come and bargain their souls with him. He had ended this little 'show' by dropping the potion onto the roof, creating a thick, black smoke in which he could escape.

But the story does not end here. Because, the townsfolk of the Otrapisc was right about one thing: The smoke on the roof was of a more heavy substance and did not dissolve quickly in the strong gusts of wind as common smoke would; rather it remained in the area long enough to secure Raphael's retreat, but also, it allowed for a tiny creature on hunt to enter it's dark depths. As the smoke finally dissolved, it's remains finally blown away by the wind, the man was long gone – and left was only the brief shadow of a black bat, flying into the horizon.

If Raphael had known his little trick would involve to the belief that vampires can take the form of "dark beings" as bats - a myth, which would survive throughout all ages, even to the modern world as we know it - he probably would've laughed at the people of Otrapisc and their imagination...

* * *

This concludes the third chapter of "Love of Sorel" – First off, I want to make a small comment about how much this "post-chapter 3"-text have changed, as I wrote and edited the chapter. When I started, I had no idea how the content of the chapter's main event – Raphael attacking Bogna – would play out and feel. As a result, this text have also seen a slight edit.

It is worth noticing that the chapter contains my first reflection over the dark powers Raphael and Amy has in Soul Calibur III. Their physical state somewhat resembles vampires – they're pale, have red eyes and feels a great hunger/thirst at night. All in all very Dracula-like, not to mention their current place of residence. But I wanted to make a clear line between the two 'beings': Raphael is infused with 'Evil' by Soul Edge the moment he pierces the eye of the dark blade. I figured he feeds on humans soul and life-energy in the same way as Soul Edge does (and in the same way as characters like Nightmare, Astaroth and Cervantes collect them for the sword), thus not making him your typical, blood-sucking vampire. This does not make him a ideal host for Soul Edge, but rather a victim of the dark sword's powers. That is what I tried to explain in the chapter – it doesn't require any explanation, really, but I thought I'd explain my reasons anyway.

And Soul Calibur IV is finally here! Which just means my muse to continue my work on this fanfic is back on full power! Too, I hope you forgive the rather long intro to this chapter's main event, a chapter which I deliberately cut shorter than planned, as I realized it would become too boring in the long run. The way I wrote the ending of the chapter turned out differently than I had planned, but it still represents the end I had in mind. Hope you enjoyed reading this, do review and stay tuned for more chapters of "Love of Sorel" :)


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